In the year when they are celebrating 140th anniversary, Dubrovnik Museums have enlarged their collection of publications for yet another valuable work – the Maritime Museum Guide that chronologically follows the development of marine navigation, from Antic period to today.
This richly illustrated guide is intended for those who want to find in one place the most important information about the Maritime Museum, its history; its building that is a protected cultural monument, its collections, and maritime heritage of Dubrovnik.
Separate thematic units deal with underwater shipwreck findings dating from 1st to 9th centuries from the museum collection, the golden age of Dubrovnik marine navigation in the 15th and 16th centuries, the period of stagnation in the 17th century, and its growth in the following century, as well as the history of sailing and steam ships. The guide also presents exhibits from other collections that are of some importance for the development of Dubrovnik marine navigation. The guide systematically introduces the rich collection of the Museum that amounts to more than 5,000 exhibits divided in 15 various collections. More than 700 objects have been permanently exhibited in St John’s Fort in the Old Town harbour since 1986.
The permanent collection occupies the first and second floors of St John’s Fort and chronologically illustrates the development of Dubrovnik marine navigation from late Antic period to the fall of the Republic and 19th and 20th centuries, respectively. The variety and value of the objects possessed by the Maritime Museum make it one of the most important museums dedicated to marine navigation in Croatia and the best place for studying rich maritime heritage of Dubrovnik.
The Maritime Museum as part of Dubrovnik Museums houses an extraordinary library with more than 11,000 literary volumes mostly about maritime navigation. Since 1998 the museum has been a member of the Association of Mediterranean Maritime Museums having its seat in Barcelona.
